95 years ago today, Mahatma Gandhi began his historic Salt March to the sea, a protest against British salt taxes in India. The crowd of marchers grew as Gandhi walked for 24 days, a 240-mile trek (390 km) to the beach at Dandi where he produced salt without paying any tax to the nation’s British rulers, sparking similar acts nationwide. WATCH a historic newsreel… (1930)
Recovery of Endangered Marsupials is Utterly ‘Extraordinary’– Population Up 45% Since Australian Bushfires
On the heights of a mountain range just 30 miles west of Sydney’s Central Business District, the population of a charismatic marsupial was found to be ballooning despite recent fires.
Recorded at 45% higher than before Australia’s drought-wildfire combo of 2019, it was described as “nothing short of remarkable.”
The greater glider is an arboreal marsupial that can glide the distance of a football field using a long skin membrane that stretches between its arms and legs. With a diet composed exclusively of eucalyptus leaves, a lack of trees means a lack of gliders, and in the Blue Mountains, parts that were only lightly burned are positively full of these animals.
“It’s been fantastic to see greater gliders bounce back to well above pre-fire, pre-drought levels in the best and most lightly burnt habitat,” said Dr. Peter Smith, an experienced glider biologist, and author of the study that included the new population estimates. “Because of their low reproductive rate, we didn’t think that they’d be capable of making such a strong recovery. The rapid increase in numbers is extraordinary.”
On one night, he and his co-author/wife Judy used powerful flashlights to spot 59 gliders overhead in a single corridor located by the southern edge of the Blue Mountains National Park and near the adjoining Mares Forest National Park and Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Gliders are not just vulnerable to logging and wildfires, they carry a mere one joey per year, and so have been assumed to be far more at risk than similar marsupials with greater fecundity.
Other surveys proved less-joyful, though. In some areas where the eucalyptus had not recovered from the 2019 fires, there were no gliders at all. Another way to look at that might be: provided eucalyptus trees can be restored to degraded habitats, gliders can take care of themselves.
MORE AUSTRALIAN CUTIES: Second-Ever Elusive Night Parrot Egg Discovered in Australia Where it Had Been ‘Extinct’ for 100 Years
“That’s why the remaining greater glider strongholds are so important,” Dr. Smith told WWF Down Under. “The forests in Mares Forest National Park and the southern end of Blue Mountains National Park now support exceptional numbers of greater gliders and are vital for the species’ recovery in this region.”
As to why this species might have been so much more well-stocked, Smith reckoned it was because of the increased rainfall in recent years, driving more heavy vegetation among the trees this flying possum calls home.
WATCH a video to learn how Australia is helping their glider population…
SOAR Over To Your Friends Social Media And Let Them Know The Good News…
Epigenetic Science Reveals Potential Method for Stopping Malaria’s Resistance to Medications
The science of epigenetics, or the adaptive changes to DNA in response to life stressors, may have uncovered a new and dynamic antimalarial medication.
Plasmodium falciparum, aka malaria, remains the most deadly infectious disease faced by man, a position it has maintained for thousands of years as it causes hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.
Malaria vaccines, malaria medication, and targeted mosquito treatments have allowed for remarkable progress in the control of this complex, multi-stage parasite, including eradication from countries inside the malaria belt such as Egypt and Cape Verde.
Now though, a multinational team has uncovered a feature in the epigentics of the malaria parasite that controls for a suite of genes. Called a chromatin remodeler, with the abbreviation PfSnf2L, the team believes it could lead to a whole new class of antimalarial medication.
Epigenetics are one of life’s primary drivers of adaptations. They are why human beings who live at high altitude have more oxygenated blood than lowlanders, and why traditional divers and fishermen have greater lung capacities than others of the same ethnic background.
They are in effect, a defense mechanism against stress.
Professor Markus Meißner from LMU Munich and Professor of Biochemistry Gernot Längst from the University of Regensburg led the study team, which found how PfSnf2L is essential for P. falciparum to dynamically adjust gene expression.
THREE CHEERS FOR MODERN MEDICINE: New Oxford Malaria Vaccine is ‘Huge Advance’ to Protect Children From Deadly Killer
“The unique sequence and functional properties of PfSnf2L led to the identification of a highly specific inhibitor that only kills Plasmodium falciparum,” explains Längst.
“This inhibitor represents a new class of antimalarials, potentially targeting all life cycle stages,” adds Professor Meißner.
MORE MALARIA MEDICATION: New Mosquito Nets Prevent Millions of Malaria Cases in Insecticide-Resistant Areas
Längst described malaria as one of the most “adaptable diseases we face,” and its potential to develop resistance to existing treatments presents the threat of a severely demoralizing impediment to reducing the malarial burden in world society.
“Future work will focus on testing small molecules that inhibit the parasite’s epigenetic machinery and exploring their effectiveness in preclinical models,” concludes Meißner.
SHARE This Interesting Future Angle Into Malaria Research…
World’s Biggest Underground Thermal Lake Discovered in Albania
The little country of Albania was recently discovered to be harboring a giant secret: the largest geothermally-heated underground lake in the world.
Discovered in 2021 by Czech scientists, geopolitical troubles on the border region with Greece saw them depart before a proper investigation of the cave could be made.
What they did find though was a massive column of steam rising out of the hills in an area around the town of Leskovik. Approaching it, they encountered a massive abyss descending 330 feet (100 meters) under the Earth. Exploring down, they found this massive lake of turquoise water that was geothermally heated.
Funded by a research grant from the Neuron Foundation, which supports pioneering scientists in Czechia, the team was able to return in 2024 for a proper study.
The scientists used state-of-the-art technologies during the expedition, including a mobile LiDAR scanner, which allowed for detailed mapping of the underground spaces. Precise geodetic measurements created a comprehensive map of the Atmos Cave and other nearby caves, such as Sulfur, Breška, and Kobyla, which were already discovered in 2021.
“It’s something that could have a huge impact on understanding underground ecosystems and geological processes,” Marek Audy, a caver and scientist in the research team, told Nat Geo CZ. “We want to look at other parts of the cave, learn more about the geology and biology of this area.”
The LiDAR survey produced a total size of 454 feet (138 meters) of length and 138 feet (45 m) of depth. With over 8,000 cubic meters of water, it contains more 3.5 Olympic swimming pools of water volume, making it larger than the previously-recognized subterranean heated lake in the world in Hungary.
EASTERN EUROPEAN NEWS: While Czech Region is Busy Planning Hydro-Project, Beavers Do it For Them–Saving Millions
They named it Lake Neuron after the foundation that funded them.
“I am incredibly proud that we could support Czech scientists in such a groundbreaking project,” Monika Řasa Vondráková, director and co-founder of the Neuron Foundation, said in a statement.
MORE WORLD WONDERS: Oceanographers Explore Underwater Mountain Bigger Than Mount Olympus Teeming with Wonders
“This achievement underscores the importance of supporting scientists directly in the field, where their expertise and dedication lead to new discoveries. Expeditions like these are vital for advancing science and expanding our understanding of the world around us.”
SHARE This Story With Your Friends Who Think The World Has No More Secrets…
New Deepfake Detector Inspects Pixels to Uncover Falsehoods on Your Phone Within 6 Seconds
A Chinese smartphone manufacturer is preparing to debut a new deepfake detection software, which it says uses AI to detect AI.
Embodying the schoolyard concept of it takes one to know one, the company says it analyzes the millions of individual pixels on a phone screen to look for things like faceswaps or other AI artifacts.
The pixel-level flaws include issues with border compositing, irregularities between video frames, and unusual facial features like face-to-ear ratios or hairstyle anomalies.
Called the GUI for Graphic User Interface, it was developed by the Chinese smartphone operator HONOR, and is included in the company’s new Magic Pro 7 smartphone.
It’s preparing the device for a presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month, Reuters reports.
OTHER PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET: Intel Unveils Real-Time Deepfake Detector, Claims 96% Accuracy Rate
Generating a percentage chance that what you’re looking at might be generated or influenced by AI, the software works in just 6 seconds.
Other features on the phone include voice-command photo modification, allowing photography fans to remove elements in their pictures with their voice.
WATCH the story from Reuters and see what else their phone can do…
SHARE This Story With Your Friends Who’ve Encountered A Deep Fake…
“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” – Kenji Miyazawa
Quote of the Day: “We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” – Kenji Miyazawa
Photo by: rudis (CC license)
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Good News in History, March 11
40 years ago today, Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union. His policies of glasnost (“openness”) and perestroika (“restructuring”) and his negotiations with President Reagan over strategic nuclear arms contributed to the end of the Cold War, ended the Communist Party’s hold on governing, inadvertently led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and won him a Nobel Peace Prize. Born into a Ukrainian-Russian peasant family, Gorbachev wrote books and lectured long into his retirement. GNN memorialized the man who ended the Cold War upon his death in 2022. READ an excerpt from the article… (1985)
Citrus Fruit Consumption Helps Protect Against Depression via Gut Microbiome: Study
A new study has identified several corresponding lines of evidence which all point like a divining rod to citrus fruit being associated with lower risks of developing depression.
Clinical depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, 70% of whom fail to respond to medication. The causes are varied and difficult to understand, but being that you can’t medicate your way out of a poor diet, one scientist thought he’d look for a dietary solution.
Dr. Raaj Mehta, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, has found evidence that just one medium-sized orange can reduce a person’s risk of developing depression by 20%.
“I was working with a fantastic postdoc named Chatpol Samuthpongtorn, who was reading through the literature on depression, looking for an interesting project to take on,” Dr. Mehta explained to the Harvard Gazette. “And he came across this one paper from 2016 that pointed to the possibility that citrus lowers the risk of depression.”
“That piqued our interest because we had access to a rich data set that we could use to follow up on this finding. It’s called the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS2), and it began in 1989 with the goal of finding risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.”
“It involves over 100,000 women, and roughly every two years they provide researchers with detailed information about their lifestyle, diet, medication use, and health. So we decided to leverage these data to look for evidence that nurses who ate a lot of citrus had lower rates of future depression than those who did not. And that’s what we found!”
Dr. Mehta’s findings show that total fruit and vegetable consumption was not correlated with anything—citrus stood alone as a deciding factor, and it worked, he later hypothesized, by increasing the total amounts of a gut bacterial species F. prausnitzii. Citrus increased the population of this species in the guts of the nurses who consumed the most citrus.
OTHER STORIES LIKE THIS: Healthy Gut Bacteria Can Reduce Risk of Asthma and Food Allergies in Children, Experts Discover
Furthermore, because the NHS2 contained only women, he looked for the same parameters and gut microbes in men, and the findings remained: 20% reduced risk of depression, higher levels of F. prausnitzii.
When asked how this data might work to reduce depression, Dr. Mehta suggested the S-adenosyl-L-methionine cycle I pathway may be utilized by these bacteria as a way to influence human neurotransmitters dopamine and seratonin, produced by human cells in the gut.
MORE DIET BASED MEDICINE: Holy Mackerel! Fish Really Is Brain Food – Even if You Only Eat a Small Amount
“There’s so much evidence now suggesting a strong link between the gut and the brain that I was not surprised to find more,” he told the Gazette. “At the same time, I had not associated citrus with the brain before we got these results. You often hear that fish is ‘brain food,’ but nobody says that oranges are brain food.”
One future question would be whether the effect was unique to oranges. Could it be replicated with lemons, bergamot, grapefruit, tangerines, or limes?
SHARE This Sweet And Sour News With Your Friends Who Love A Nice Orange…
Stunning Flower Fields in California Have Been Enchanting Tourists and Locals For Decades
Along I-5 in Southern California, a beautiful bed of blooms stretches 55 acres across the landscape and is officially open for the season.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch have been captivating Californians with their incredible panoply of ranunculus flowers for decades, but have added other activities as well.
Native to Turkey, ranunculus are also known as the Persian buttercup, and over a long career of dazzling drivers and day-trippers, pioneer Edwin Frazee and other local growers have created every color of the rainbow.
They’ve grown along the California coastline for 100 years, but it took more than half of that in dedicated horticulture to create this masterpiece that’s open every year in March. Visitors can see them in all their glory for the next five to seven weeks, with admission priced at $27 for adults.
The field is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with other activities including a “sweet pea” maze, tractor rides, a sea of sunflowers, a giant American flag grown from petunias, green house orchid and poinsettia displays, a sculpture garden, and a butterfly encounter area for children.
MORE COOL US TRAVEL IDEAS: Family-Owned Vermont Ski Resort Offers the Common Man 1,200 Acres of Powder for $100
Tickets are sold only online, not on-site, and no reentry is allowed. Flowers and food are sold on-site.
FLOWERS, BUT THE WILD KIND: Millions of Wildflowers Now Delight the Town After Vermont Couple Got Tired of Mowing the Lawn All Day
The final entry day is May 11th, which happens to be Mother’s Day, and might make a great trip.
SHARE This Great Day-Trip Idea With The Californian In Your Life…
Double Lung Transplant Recipient Helps Students Make Comfort Blankets for Organ Donor Families
A special education teacher who received a double-lung donation recently led her class in making comfort blankets for donor families.
Jackie Dennis says that even though the donation she received made her joyful, grateful, and relieved that she’d be able to watch her daughter grow up, she knew in her heart it also represented the worst tragedy for someone else.
Dennis has taken that experience forward with her into a deep connection with the family of the girl whose lungs saved her life, and she hopes the blankets can act as warm, comfy bridges for others to do the same.
It was in 2020, during the pandemic when Dennis gave birth. Quickly thereafter her health deteriorated, and it wasn’t long in the hospital before her doctors had her on a waiting list for two lungs.
They were found, and the operation, a first for Henry Ford Health at the time, was successful. In the years that followed, she got to know the donor’s family, to a point where they enjoy a close connection.
“I’m lucky enough to have such a good relationship that I can send pictures of my daughter, I can send pictures of what my students are doing, and I get to show her the impact her daughter [the donor] has had on me—and her little sisters get to see that, and it’s so beautiful,” said Dennis.
MORE STORIES LIKE THIS: 6 ‘Memory Bears’ Sewn With Love and Grandpa’s Flannels For Widow’s Grandchildren
Last week, the teacher at Huron High School in New Boston, Michigan, organized a workshop to make comfort blankets to send off to the families of donors. Dennis said it’s not unusual that a donor’s family has not contact with the person who received a donation, and that the blankets can go a long way towards helping them understand the gratitude and warmth a recipient has for them.
WATCH the story below from CBS news…
SHARE This Comfy, Heartwarming Story With Your Friends On Social Media…
Lucky Find in Perth Returns Beloved War Medals to New Zealand Family
A New Zealand military chaplain recently recovered a fallen airman’s war medals and reunited them with the man’s next of kin.
It cost the chaplain a few hundred dollars to perform this good deed, one which has seen them restored and presented to the aviator’s grand-niece.
Dying during an RAF bomber raid over Hamburg in 1942 during Winston Churchill’s terror bombing campaign on Germany, New Zealand Sergeant William O’Shea’s medals were given to his Widow Ann, before the family lost track of them in 1990.
Royal Australian Air Force Chaplain Hayden Lea saw the collection of four authentic medals at an auction, and noticed that one was missing a ribbon clasp for bomber command units that were presented to airmen after the war. It’s absence meant that the man to whom the medals were issued had died.
Lea decided to buy the lot, replace the “tattered” ribbons, and see if he could get the bomber command clasp added to them.
“Once I’d purchased the medals and was able to look up a little bit more information about Billy, I was able to confirm that he didn’t have his other awards, so I contacted New Zealand honors and awards to be able to apply for that for him,” Chaplain Lea told ABC News Australia.
According to the Chaplain, part of his duty is to advocate for soldiers like O’Shea, and their families, which he considers his responsibility despite the man being dead for 80 years.
After obtaining the bomber clasp, he started to try and track down the family.
FAMILY HISTORY: Sunken Class Ring Returned to Canadian Man Who Lost it in 1977 off Barbados Coast
As it happened, O’Shea never met his grand-niece, Karen Curtis, who was born after his death. She had tried after the disappearance of the medals to get them re-issued, which the New Zealand authorities told her was not possible. During the process however, she made herself officially known as Billy’s next of kin, which meant that Lea was able to contact her.
Curtis said she and her family were still coming to terms about the amazing way in which the medals were returned.
MORE MEMORABILIA RETURNED: 101-Year-old Woman Is Amazed After Being Reunited with Her Lost Painting Looted by Nazis
“He died in 1942, but he was my father’s uncle and my father really looked up to him,” said Curtis. “And now I’ve got grandchildren who I’m teaching about the family history. They look so alike and looking at photos of Billy I could swear it was my dad.”
SHARE This Selfless Act On Behalf Of A Man Long Gone…
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds” – Dinos Christianopoulos
Quote of the Day: “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds” – Dinos Christianopoulos (Greek poet)
Photo by: Kelly Sikkema
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Good News in History, March 10
145 years ago today, members of the Salvation Army landed in the United States to begin their charitable operations, fifteen years after the group was founded in England. With a worldwide membership of over 1.7 million today, the Protestant Christian church sect runs the well-known international charity in 131 countries with a mission to run charity shops, operate shelters for the homeless, and provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid. READ stories GNN has written on the organization… (1880)
Four Best Friends All Move to Houses On the Same Street: ‘These Girls are my Sisters
Four women in their 40s who’ve been best friends for 17 years have all moved to the same street—and they now feel like they’ve built their own community.
Sarabeth Stine was delighted when her pal Kelly Holbin found a house just around the corner 10 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia.
Three years ago, when their buddy Erinn Cottman needed a new home, the girlfriends couldn’t believe their luck when the house across the street from Sarabeth became available.
And, one year later, Kristi W. surprised her friends by purchasing the house one door down.
Now the quartet are loving the fact that they live seconds from each other, so they can hang out whenever they want.
They also keep boundaries in place—so they can maintain individual lives and not overuse their welcome.
“Having people you can count on that are like family,” said the newest arrival. “That’s really important.”
“It’s a true blessing for me,” Kristi told SWNS news agency. “It feels like these girls are my sisters.”
Kristi has been friends with Kelly for 25 years after meeting her in college and becoming besties.
Kelly moved to Atlanta in 2008 and met Sarabeth and Erinn—and the group now has a strong 17-year bond.
“We all developed our own individual relationships, which fused the bond amongst the group,” said Erinn.
While Sarabeth and her family were the first ones in the neighborhood, she was suddenly surprised when Kelly spotted a house for sale and asked if it would be strange if she lived there.
“I text her to ask would it be weird if I lived in the same neighborhood. She was like ‘absolutely not’.”
Kelly moved in 2014 and has loved living round the corner from her friend. The pair goes to morning workouts and walks together.
“Three-and-a-half years ago Erinn needed a new home,” explained Sarabeth. “The house across the street became available.”
“At first she said it would be creepy, but then went for it.”
For Erinn and Sarabeth, it has meant their sons—eight and ten—have been able to grow up together.
“Our boys are a year and a half apart and they run back and forth between our houses,” said Sarabeth.
“They did Christmas morning together!”
ALSO LOOKIN’ AMAZING! Four Girlfriends Recreate Photo From Their First Fun-Loving Vacation 50 Years Ago
The friend that finally joined the group, after the pandemic, was Kirsti—when the house next to Sarabeth came up for sale.
Sarabeth had suggested to Kirsti: ”Please come and buy this house.”
Kirsti started thinking about it, then decided to go for it—but kept it a secret from the others, even going so far as disguising herself when she came for the home inspection.
Kirsti recalled: “I made up a story and said ‘would you guys come and look at a house – I really want your opinion?’
“We got in the car and pulled away and then I turned around as if I’d forgotten something.
“Then I told them I was buying the house.”
Sarabeth remembers, “That’s when we lost our minds.”
AMAZING MEETING: The Breathtaking Moment Enemy Soldiers Who Saved Each Other Reunite By Chance in Waiting Room 20 yrs Later
She moved in March 2023 and the ladies have loved living close ever since.
“I’ve got built-in folks,” said Erinn.
Sarabeth says, “It’s a true community we have built.”
Despite living so close they don’t always see each other every day. In fact, sometimes they go three or four days without running into anyone.
COMING TOGETHER AFTER 7 DECADES: Pen Pals Finally Get to Meet in Person–68 Years After They Began Writing Letters Back and Forth
“We’re all so busy. It’s easy to miss each other.” But they know someone has their back.
“What makes us special is regardless of what has happened, we have an ability to accept each other–and be vulnerable with each other.”
SPREAD THE LOVELY IDEA By Sharing With Friends On Social Media…
Ingredient Found in All Mushrooms Can Reprogram Immune Cells to Fight Deadly Flu Infections
A component found in all fungi may provide a shield that prevents flu-related lung damage, according to a new Canadian study.
The preclinical trial uncovered how beta-glucan—which is found in all mushrooms, and also yeast, oats, and barley—can ‘reprogram’ immune cells to prevent lung inflammation.
A team of scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, demonstrated that administering the compound to mice before their exposure to influenza, reduced lung damage, improved lung function and lowered the risk of illness and death.
The scientists led by Professor Maziar Divangahi discovered that a unique structure of this component can boost defenses against pathogens.
While most research focuses on stopping the virus from replicating, this study explored how to regulate the body’s immunity to infection, a concept known as “disease tolerance.” The researchers discovered that beta-glucan significantly enhanced flu survival rates by modulating immune responses and preventing severe lung inflammation, a common cause of fatality.
These results, published in Nature Immunology, highlight beta-glucan as a promising therapy for influenza, as well as other emerging viral pathogens.
“It is remarkable how beta-glucan can reprogram certain immune cells, such as neutrophils, to control excessive inflammation in the lung,” said first author Nargis Khan, who conducted this research at McGill and is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary.
“Neutrophils are traditionally known for causing inflammation, but beta-glucan has the ability to shift their role to reduce it,” added co-first author Kim Tran, who recently completed her Ph.D. at McGill.
CHECK OUT: The Medicinal Value of Chaga Mushrooms as a Nutraceutical for Good Health
Rebalancing the immune system
Most flu-related deaths aren’t caused by the virus itself, but by an overreaction of the immune system, said the researchers. This suggests the true danger lies in the host’s own immune response. However, how the immune system becomes so imbalanced remains poorly understood.
“Beta-glucan is found in the cell walls of all fungi, including some that live in and on our bodies as part of the human microbiome,” explained Divangahi.
“It is tempting to hypothesize that the levels and composition of fungi in an individual could influence how their immune system responds to infections, in part because of beta-glucan.”
With flu season underway and the looming threat of bird flu (H5N1), developing effective therapeutic strategies for respiratory diseases is more critical than ever, he added.
MORE FANTASTIC FUNGI:
• Fungi Are ‘Mind-blowing’: They Have Memories, Learn Shapes, Can Make Decisions and Solve Problems
• Mushrooms Help Turn Toxic Brownfields into Blooming Meadows
• Fungi Could Be Answer to Global Warming – They Store 1/3 of All Carbon Emissions
The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Future studies will explore how exactly the findings apply to humans.
SHARE THE FASCINATING FUNGI With Mushroom-Lovers On Social Media…
42-Year-old Woman With Black Belt Sends a Would-Be Robber Packing–Wearing Her New Heels
A woman with training in martial arts jumped into action sending a would-be robber scampering from a convenience store, after he threatened the shopkeeper.
Karate expert Mairi Kerin was at the counter buying chocolate treats for her nieces when the hooded man came into the LOCO store in Shropshire, England—and dramatic CCTV video captured the encounter.
But she had already noticed the suspicious man in the parking lot.
“As I got out of the car I noticed this person all covered up and thought ‘You look like you’re going to rob a shop’,” the 42-year-old told SWNS news agency.
But then she reminded herself, “You can’t think that about people, can’t pigeon-hole people like that… Maybe he’s just got a bike somewhere, he’s been out riding, or whatever.”
Mairi entered the store and spent a couple minutes shopping and was getting ready to pay the cashier when the man appeared.
“I heard the shopkeeper ask, ‘Why did you put something against the door?’, and I heard him reply, ‘Because I’m going to take your money’.
“He said it really cool, really calm.
“He stepped forward, I could see his pockets were full and I thought he had weapons, my eyes were glued to his pockets.
“When I saw his left hand still in his pocket I took the chance.”
She grabbed the would-be thief’s arm and delivered a couple of firm kicks to the shin causing him to run out of the store. (See the video at the end of the article…)
Mairi, who lives in Staffordshire, received a Commendation Award from the Police Chief Superintendent of West Mercia Police following her heroics on March 3.
She described how she didn’t think twice about jumping to the shopkeeper’s defense.
“We would later find out a knife and a firearm were involved but whatever was in the left pocket, for that moment it was not coming out.”
She said her John Wayne-style swagger on the CCTV footage was due to the pain of breaking in some heels for a new job.
“I was wearing new heels at the time and I was trying to break them in, I hadn’t worn heels since lockdown so I needed some practice.
“It makes me laugh when I watch it now.
Mairi said that her intervention wasn’t bravery. She credits it to self-belief after 20 years of martial arts training that has seen her represent England and the Republic of Ireland.
MORE HEROES:
• Quick-Thinking Hero Saves Trapped Family From Sinking Car by Lashing it to Bridge
• Man Sprints Along 4-Lane Snowy Highway to Stop Woman’s Runaway Car
“The time was right, and I’m glad I was there. People have asked whether I was scared. No, I was not.
“I’ve trained with this type of event in mind (and) sparred in full-contact sessions with people far heavier than me.
“In my opinion this is not stupidity or bravado, it’s a reflection of self-belief.”
After the robber was caught and jailed for his involvement, Chief Superintendent Edd Williams praised Mairi’s intervention as “an inspiring act of bravery from an upstanding member of the public.”
WATCH: Teen Lifts a Truck to Free His Trapped Father: ‘My Son is My Hero’
“Her quick thinking meant that no one was harmed during this attempted robbery and no money or goods were stolen.” (Watch the video footage of the encounter below…)
SHARE THE INSPIRATION With Martial Arts Fans On Social Media…
Serious Knee Injury Repairs ‘Significantly’ Improved With Cartilage Grown From Nasal Septum Cells
Engineered cartilage from nasal septum cells is helping treat complex knee damage, according to researchers in Switzerland who have developed the implants.
Their new study shows that giving the cartilage implants more time to mature “significantly” improved clinical efficiency and outcomes—even in patients with complex cartilage injuries, which are painful and seriously limit mobility.
Their work also shows that the method could also be suitable for the treatment of degenerated cartilage in osteoarthritis, says the team from the University of Basel.
They explained that an unlucky fall while playing football or skiing can end an athlete’s career, and such damage to articular cartilage does not heal by itself. It also increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
Researchers at the University Basel Hospital have been working on the new method for several years and can now show that even complex cartilage injuries can be repaired with engineered cells taken from a tiny piece of the patient’s nasal septum cartilage and then allowing them to multiply in the lab on a scaffold made of soft fibers.
The newly grown cartilage is then cut into the required shape and implanted into the knee joint.
Earlier studies have already shown promising results because the nasal cells have particular characteristics that are ideally suited to cartilage regeneration.
“For example, it has emerged that these cells can counteract inflammation in the joints,” said Professor Ivan Martin, who co-led the research with Dr. Marcus Mumme and Professor Andrea Barbero.
In a clinical trial involving 98 participants at clinics in four countries, the team compared two experimental approaches.
One group received cartilage grafts that had matured in the lab for just two days before implantation – similar to other cartilage replacement products. For the other group, the grafts were allowed to mature for two weeks.
During that time, the tissue acquires characteristics similar to native cartilage.
For 24 months after the procedure, the participants self-assessed their well-being and the functionality of the treated knee via questionnaires.
The results, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed a “clear improvement” in both groups.
But patients who received more mature engineered cartilage continued to improve even in the second year following the procedure, overtaking the group with less mature cartilage grafts.
MRI scans further revealed that the more mature cartilage grafts resulted in better tissue composition at the site of the implant, and even of the neighboring cartilage.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST ON CARTILAGE:
• ‘Off the Charts’ Hydrogel Outperforms Cartilage and May Be in Human Knees Next Year
• Knee Arthritis Treatment Relieves Pain and Could Prevent Need for Replacement Surgery
• Newly Discovered Protein Stops DNA Damage and Even Repairs it – Pointing to a Cancer Vaccine
Study co-author Anke Wixmerten emphasized that the longer period of prior maturation is worthwhile. “The additional maturation time of the implant only requires a slight increase in effort and manufacturing costs, and gives much better results.”
Prof. Barbero said it was noteworthy that patients with “larger injuries” benefit from cartilage grafts with the longer prior maturation periods.
“This also applies to cases in which previous cartilage treatments with other techniques have been unsuccessful.”
“If we look at the results from standard questionnaires, patients treated with our approach achieved far higher long-term scores in joint functionality and quality of life,” concluded Prof. Martin.
FRIENDS WITH KNEE DAMAGE? Share This Breakthrough On Social Media…
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Quote of the Day: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Photo by: Tingey Injury Law Firm
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Good News in History, March 9
51 years ago today, Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese infantryman holdout finally surrendered 29 years after the end of World War II. Operating out of the remote jungles of the Philippines, Onoda followed his orders to the letter—to disrupt Allied operations on the island chain, and not surrender until his commanding officer relieved him—orders which had been given along with a promise “whatever happens, we’ll come back for you.” Well, this presented a problem for post-war Japan, because in Onoda’s own words, if Japan had lost, there shouldn’t be a post-war Japan; there should be no Japan of any kind—echoing the Imperial Army’s famous samurai-like sensibilities. READ how they got him out of there… (1974)
10-Year-old Paramedic Teaches Adults Lifesaving Skills and CPR as ‘The Mini Medic’
Meet the 10-year-old paramedic who teaches adults life-saving procedures as an in-demand mini-medic.
Jack Dawson was just two-years-old when it became obvious he was interested in becoming a paramedic.
His grandfather owns a first response company in Staffordshire, England, and Jack would ride along in his ambulances with the flashing blue lights. By age three, he would start “randomly performing CPR on his teddies, pumping the bear’s chest”.
“So, at the same time he was learning to speak, my husband and I decided to teach him first aid,” said his mother, Danielle. “He was like a sponge. He just picked everything up so quickly.”
Jack, quickly grasped the act of CPR, understanding the different recovery positions, and learned how to use a defibrillator.
Then, at age seven, the youngster started to lead workshop sessions of his own, overseen by his father and other trainers for their charity, Tamworth Have A Heart, which aims to make automatic defibrillators publicly accessible and train people to use them confidently.
Jack teaches both children and adults how to perform CPR and use defibrillators, while also patrolling his town centre and checking that the public defibrillators’ pads and batteries are up to date and fit for use. (Watch a demonstration at the end of the article…)
“His motto was ‘if I can save a life, then you can’,” says Danielle.
The sessions often draw 20-40 people and sometimes Jack gives presentations teaching in front of 100 people.
GREAT KIDS: Family Crowdfunds $30k For Prosthetic–But Angel Steps In and Girl Gives Money to Boy Who Needs One
He does step-by-step walkthroughs on how to perform CPR with practice dummies laid on the floor, informing people about the dangers—including “looking into patients airways before pumping, in case of vomit or blood”. He gives tutorials on how to operate defibrillators which are used to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest.
“He absolutely loves teaching,” Danielle told SWNS news agency. “I’ve never seen him so confident before and the fact he’s helping people to save a life determines him even more.”
“People are very surprised. He gets a lot of positive feedback and even special requests to teach people.
QUICK THINKING HERO: 14-Year-old Grabs Wheel of His School Bus After Driver Passes Out with Foot on the Gas
“I think people appreciate the information coming from a child, as it makes them think that if a 10-year-old can do it, then they can.”
Under the name ‘Mini Medic’, Jack has a YouTube channel and a page on TikTok posting medical tutorials and training nights for those unable to attend.
As a result of his community work, the 10-year-old is a finalist for Children of Courage Birmingham Awards.
SO SWEET: 10-Year-old Girl’s Idea for a ‘Postbox to Heaven’ is Rolled Out Nationally Across Cemeteries in UK
Looking forward, Danielle said he’s enthusiastic about going to university and being a paramedic. “It’s all he thinks about!”
WATCH the video below from the news agency SWNS.com…
SHARE THE INSPIRATION With Ambulance-Loving Kids On Social Media…